Chapter Text
Cold... it's... very cold
An echo rang out on that freezing night. The underground was always a cruel and gloomy place, with the scent of death and a sick look on all its inhabitants.
Darkness filled the room, the door frame not covering its corners properly, so the light emanating from outside the room could be seen. It wasn't the sun or the joy of a new morning, it was fire, the fire the neighbors lit from morning to night. Screams in the distance, robberies throughout the city, and blood spilled on the walls outside.
The wooden floor was damp, and the walls of their home were moldy. Amidst all that dust and filth lay a child wearing a white blanket. His eyes looked tired and watery. He huddled his knees against his chest in a corner of the room, dirty, hungry, and exhausted.
His mother lay stretched out on the only bed in the room, her breathing shallow, almost nonexistent. It had been four days since they had eaten or tasted anything. Her maternal instinct screamed at her to get up and do everything she could to feed her son, but even as she tried to move her legs, they didn't respond, and her voice, which was soft and sweet, cracked every time she tried to call her son. The guilt she felt would surely kill her before her own illness did.
He hadn't eaten anything at all in two weeks, as the little he had saved since he became ill was given solely to his three-year-old son, Levi.
By this time, both mother and child were already suffering from starvation and their extremities were cold to the touch.
Kuchel, the child's mother, took her hand out from under the sheets, a great effort for her sick body. The child, from afar, looked at his mother's thin hand. It had been hours since he had seen her move, but the fact that she had breathed more deeply, even with steam coming out of her mouth in the frigid environment, calmed him down.
He approached his mother's resting body with long strides, reaching out to take her hand. She was icy to the touch, yet there were a few beads of cold sweat on her forehead and her skin was pale as flour. Kuchel's eyes opened slowly, his eyelids heavy for his weak frame, and his eyes were dull as he lay dying in life.
— Mom… — The boy whispered as his mother squeezed his small, warm, and comforting hand with what little strength she had.
— W-why… are you on the floor, Levi? — Kuchel managed to speak with a muffled voice, but which retained its sweetness, while her son watched her silently, standing in front of her.
— You… need to rest – The boy spoke easily, drawing a small smile from his mother, who gained enough strength to move her entire arm and touch her son's hair.
—Always so sweet… my little Levi. —She ruffled her son's hair, raising her gaze slightly to observe his features. Her son, who looked much more like her than his father, was what she thought.
Without thinking twice, the boy lay down next to his mother, and she covered him with the thin blanket that covered her body. Her little son's hair had grown back, and the robe he was wearing was his own, which had also made her happy.
The darkness that surrounded them, and the cold air that entered through the holes in the door, did not prevent them from feeling the warmth.
Kuchel stood at her son's side, not knowing what germs he had or if the illness he had would be contagious to her baby, but even so, she didn't have the strength to get up and be the one sleeping on the cold floor. She could only cover her mouth when she coughed and turn on her side in the hope that no virus would make her son sick.
Both of them, with the little peace that was breathed in that humid room, fell peacefully asleep.
The growling of his stomach was what woke the boy for the next few hours, leaving him lying on that edge of the bed, unable to do anything to satisfy his hunger. Tired and without energy, he decided to stay in bed and look around. The cracks in the wall, the wear and tear that was making them peel off, leaks that could be heard in the distance, and the sound of rats moving across the ceiling were the only things he heard amidst his drowsiness, until all those sounds were drowned out by the echo of labored breathing and the rapid walking of footsteps that were getting closer and closer.
He didn't give it much thought; thieves and criminals often passed through those hidden streets, and because the walls were so thin, the echo could be heard all over the block. But those footsteps, those footsteps were different; they had a fixed direction.
What the boy had previously overlooked was now his greatest concern. He'd heard it from people, and even his own mother had mentioned it, but even if they tried to rob his home, which was what they could offer him if they didn't have anything material. His body tensed as he heard the creaking of all the doors being opened in search of some material possessions, or so he thought.
The only sound heard were the firm footsteps that arrived in front of her door, when it suddenly opened, without any abruptness, without kicking, it was just opened slowly, with fear.
Levi did nothing to stop it, having no idea how to act, maybe he didn't even feel like trying, and he just froze on the stage, covering his face with his mother's thin blanket as a silhouette appeared in the frame of the almost completely open door. The light that could be seen in the darkness of his home enveloped him and his mother, while the man at the door didn't dare enter.
— Kuchel… — He heard the man standing in front of him say. The shadow cast by his silhouette prevented him from seeing his features, but from what little he could see, his attire was nothing compared to what a simple inhabitant of the underground would wear. Not even the most well-off people in the place would ever be able to afford that type of fabric, even in their dreams.
The man took small, cautious steps forward, his expression expressionless—perhaps relief or sadness, but by no means happy. Surprise quickly spread across his face, and his grayish eyes, more blue than gray, opened wide.
The creaking of the door echoed distantly to Levi, while the footsteps only echoed in his ears, watching the tall, dark-haired man stand in front of his mother's bed and kneel down to be at her level.
— Who are you? — the boy murmured, as the man grabbed his hair and ruffled it.
The man didn't answer, he just stayed silent and lowered his head in regret, when the boy began to regain more consciousness, rubbing both eyes to observe.
— She... is... - The adult couldn't finish the sentence while the black-haired boy turned his head slightly to look at his mother, while slowly shaking his head.
—Dead?... —The boy dared to say, while the man looked at him with a heavy heart— No... not yet
The man's face immediately became more hopeful and he immediately stood up, being followed by the gaze of the boy, who could swear, saw a certain sparkle in the man's eyes.
He positioned himself on the other side of the worn bed, and without any effort the man carried his mother, without her flinching or even waking up.
He headed for the door, wide open and with several other men equally well-uniformed. The black-haired boy drew on all his strength as he watched this man take his mother away, but before he could fully exit, he stopped in the doorway.
— Where are you taking her? — the little boy asked, getting out of bed and stepping onto the worn wooden floor. The man turned his face to look at him, illuminated by the light coming through the door into the room.
— You mean, let's go. You're coming too — the man spoke peacefully, still holding the unconscious Kuchel in his arms.
With a few steps, he left the place leaving the child frozen in place, processing what was happening.
Outside the small house, a hooded attendant with brown hair waited at the entrance, his round glasses reflecting the little light that surrounded them, small torches on the walls still lit, when he saw the man he was waiting, coming out with a weak woman in his arms.
— Looks like you found what you were looking for, boss— He turned to his master, while he walked calmly beside him, stopping behind him and nodding towards the entrance of the house.
The boy Levi, just coming out of his trance, goes down the steps with caution, because even knowing how to walk, it was difficult for his height to go down quickly, especially the robe he was wearing, which hampered his gait.
That assistant turned to the boy, and the boy looked at him without any expression, raising his eyebrows a little embarrassed that they noticed how he couldn't get down the top step that fast.
— And that child? — the brown-haired man asked his boss curiously.
— What do you think? — his master said sarcastically, his eyes falling on Kuchel, on his pale skin and the coldness of his body. The man's eyes showed genuine concern, and with a serious and determined face, he spoke to his companion — Pick up the child; we can't waste time. Cover him with your coat and be discreet.
His companion nodded and with a firm step went straight to the boy, who looked at him curiously and distantly. His mother told him not to trust strangers, but that stranger didn't seem all that bad, not like the people he saw every day on the subway.
This man with strange glasses and well dressed approached him with a kind and sincere smile, that he had certainly not seen in any other person apart from his mother, because in the underground people did not have much to smile about, he knelt in front of him, staying at his height, holding himself up with one knee, while Levi still looked strange.
— Listen, I know this is strange for you, but you have to trust us. That man over there knows your mother and plans to help her… both of them, in fact. — The man extended both arms in the direction of the child, while the latter still seemed distrustful.
Levi, with his naive mindset barely trained by his mother, reasoned it out and made his own decision, wrapping his small, thin, infant arms around the neck of the bespectacled man. The man quickly stood up and covered him with his cloak, heading to his boss, who, after noticing the boy's acceptance, relaxed and walked briskly, followed by his companion.
The blanket covering the child felt comfortable and comforting, unlike the dampness and cold he'd been experiencing a few moments before. Despite the warmth with which the attendant carried Levi, he forced himself to keep his eyes open and not fall into a deep sleep, even as he lay on the soldier's shoulder.
The streets seemed deserted at that hour of dusk, because despite the fact that the underground was always dark, even more corrupt people came out when others were resting. The atmosphere surrounding both hurried men was tense, but even if some criminals and thieves walked by them, they did not stop to do or take anything from them, because they themselves recognized the clothes that aristocrats of the upper world usually wore, and like them, many other powerful people went down to the underground, but instead of helping, they only created more and more chaos, using the underground city as their personal playground, where they broke the limits of corruption affecting helpless and needy people who had no other option but to fulfill their whims as simple slaves.
Levi, his vision blocked by the cloak covering him, only looked at the man who was carefully carrying him. Placing his small hand on the brown-haired man's back, he tried to adhere closer to him, since they had accelerated their walk, and the little boy still didn't feel entirely safe. When he noticed that their steps had calmed and they were walking calmly, he removed his hand from the man's back, seeing his hand stained with a red liquid, immediately wiping it on the man's shirt, with a certain disgust in the boy's eyes.
The brunette, noticing the boy rubbing his hand against his clothes, looked down, seeing the little boy's blood-stained hand. Levi glanced at the man, who saw the boy's worried eyes.
— You're bleeding — whispered the boy, while the man holding him smiled guilty.
— Calm down, that blood isn't mine, I should have left before coming here — He calmed the black-haired boy with a few pats on his back, fixing his gaze on his boss who was walking firmly in front of him.
Even as he smeared the red liquid on the man's shirt, trying to get it completely out of his hand, Levi didn't decide to ask more about it, and he didn't care enough, though he only cared a little.
— By the way, do you have a name? — The brown-haired boy asked.
— Levi…just Levi — The boy answered in a low voice, still holding onto the man's neck.
— If only Levi… well, that will change soon – The brown-haired man responded kindly – Mine is Samuel – He smiled happily at the child hidden behind his cloak
His boss, who was walking in front of him, managed to hear the conversation that was taking place and with a cold voice, he turned towards his subordinate who caught his eye.
— It's not time for introductions. We need to get out of here quickly — The dark-haired man spoke directly, while the boy, now closer and with a little more light, could see him in more detail.
His gray suit seemed to be stained with blood, and he carried a gun and a sword hanging from his belt. The man was imposing to the boy, even more so when he met his gaze and his icy expression didn't react. He seemed tired and grumpy, the complete opposite of the man holding him.
Samuel just nodded and placed his right arm on the back of his neck, smiling embarrassedly, while the boy moved inside his cloak to see the outside, noticing how the imposing man who walked in front of them disappeared into the darkness of some alleys, the closest to the exit of the underworld.
Losing himself alongside his boss in that same darkness, Samuel smiled confidently, fixing his gaze on the floor, adjusting the child he was carrying so that he was less visible.
— Excuse me, my friend Levi, today was a long and tiring day. Maybe I shouldn't say this, but the grumpy man's name is Stelian, just so you know, you have the right to know — Samuel spoke without thinking, to which Levi simply settled into the crook of his neck, oblivious to everything around him, but feeling safe with this kind person he had crossed paths with.
Both figures wandered through those alleys, until they reached the entrance that no being born underground could cross, the exit from that hell. Guards watched day and night those stairs that led to the world above ground, and the people underground could only dream of the day they would be able to climb those stairs.
The guards, aware of the unconscious woman Stelian was carrying in his arms, did not even flinch, for their price had already been paid, and they were free to cross those stairs.
His subordinate, on the other hand, wasn't entirely reassured, as the weight of the child he was carrying hadn't been taken into account, nor had he paid for it. As always, Stelian behaved insolently before these guards, with pride in his gaze and upright posture, passing right between them with disdain. Samuel, for his part, had stopped smiling, maintaining a serious look that appeared only in difficult moments.
The two guards looked at him with complicity and allowed them to pass. Stelian walked up those stairs as if they were his own, quickly leading Kuchel out of the building. Samuel followed closely behind his boss, with Levi hidden between his cloak and his arms. The boy was small and thin, but any ill-planned move would make those soldiers notice the bustle they were carrying.
He walked as calmly as he could, brushing shoulders with the guards, and was about to step on the second step when the little boy's stomach growled. This sound was heard by the guards, and even Stelian, three steps ahead, perceived the sound, remaining calm without showing any interest.
Samuel, somewhat worried, knowing that he had caught the attention of both soldiers with that stomach growl, smiled carefree as if nothing had happened.
— I'm sorry, it's just that I'm starving – He smiled calmly at the soldiers who looked at him strangely, with confused eyebrows, while he just smiled and continued moving forward.
In the end, no one seemed to pay much attention to it, until a second noise filled the place and echoed at the entrance to the basement. Levi sneezed, and with that noise, Stelian's eyes opened wide before he could climb another step. That sneeze potentially caught the attention of the guards, who hadn't seen Samuel sneeze at all, and he, acting out a fake sneeze seconds later, couldn't hide what they already suspected.
— Stop right there! — Both guards went straight to grab Samuel's shoulders, as he broke free from their grasp, dodging both men, who managed to grab his cloak. Levi, who was still hidden in the cloak, was held tighter by Samuel, and in an act of protection, he clung closer to his body.
— Stop, it's obvious you don't sneeze like a little boy! You only paid for that dying woman, you don't give away lives! — The guard spoke with a sour face, to which Stelian quickly turned around with Kuchel in her arms and looked at them cynically.
— There's no need to cause a scandal, I'll pay you what was agreed for the child as soon as he reaches the surface — Stelian mentioned firmly, to which both guards looked at each other with complicity
—Do you think we're fools? Late payments aren't accepted here. The boy will stay here until you give us that money— Stelian just rolled his eyes at such insolence. Those guards frustrated him, everything about that day frustrated him.
— Why can't anyone make things easy? — Stelian's face turned grim, tilting his head to one side, a language only Samuel understood, taking a gun from his belt. As he pointed it at both soldiers, Samuel worried about the look the child he was carrying in his arms would have if he saw what was about to happen. With his right arm, he grabbed the child's head, hiding it in his neck and covering it with his cloak. The brunette expertly shot at both soldiers, causing both of them to collapse to the ground.
Stelian only heard the sound of gunshots and calmly climbed the steps, while Samuel put away his gun and looked at the child he was still holding, with some sorrow in his eyes.
— I'm sorry you heard that, Levi — apologized the soldier, wrapping the boy in his cloak, while he was still questioning what just happened.
It's not that he was unaware of gunfire, much less of the deafening sound that accompanied it, it's just that he was never so close that it frightened him and his body tensed.
Both men didn't hesitate to move forward as soon as their heavy, numb legs allowed them to, yet their resilience was effective enough to quickly reach the surface. The smell of stagnant water and rotten food waste gradually disappeared; with each step they climbed, the aroma diluted, and the cold gusts of wind became more present.
As Stelian and Samuel crossed the dark subway corridor, Levi began to move from under the cloak Samuel was protecting him in, managing to peek his small head out, feeling the icy breeze on his cheeks, making them color along with his nose. His grayish eyes tinged with blue rested on the man still carrying his unconscious mother, but they didn't stop there, even visualizing in the distance a luminous white light that rose imposingly in the dark night sky. He had never seen anything like it and maybe he didn't even understand it; a part of him still thought he was dreaming, but everything seemed so vivid and so real that he didn't question anything.
That icy winter night was the first time a child from the underground saw the moon and that glow could be seen reflected in his eyes, those eyes that that night shone like never before.